DHS Rebuts Pritzker, Releases List Debunking His Claims as Illinois Sues to Block Guard Deployments
DHS published a point‑by‑point rebuttal to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s criticism of federal operations in Chicago, with Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defending ICE/CBP actions, asserting President Trump’s constitutional authority to deploy troops to protect federal facilities, and citing a South Shore operation with CBP, FBI and ATF that it says arrested 37 noncitizens — including people from Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria and alleged Tren de Aragua gang members. The release comes as Illinois has sued to block National Guard deployments to the city amid escalating federal‑state tensions.
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📌 Key Facts
- DHS issued a public list it said 'debunks' Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s claims about federal operations in Chicago, including statements from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
- DHS defended ICE and CBP operations against accusations they were targeting U.S. citizens and explicitly asserted President Trump’s constitutional authority to deploy troops to defend federal facilities.
- DHS said a targeted South Shore apartment operation conducted with CBP, the FBI and ATF led to the arrest of 37 noncitizens from countries including Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria, and that alleged Tren de Aragua gang members were among those arrested.
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker escalated rhetoric, publicly saying federal enforcement in Chicago was 'making it a war zone,' reflecting heightened state‑federal tensions over enforcement tactics and deployments.
- OMB Director Russ Vought and the White House placed large infrastructure and energy grants on hold amid the federal shutdown — including roughly $18 billion tied to New York projects, $2.1 billion for Chicago projects (affecting the Red Line extension), about $8 billion in energy/climate projects, and an immediate $300 million impact to the Second Avenue subway disbursement.
- The administration framed the funding pauses as part of a priority reshaping consistent with Project 2025 and other policy goals; Vought said some funds were 'put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race‑based contracting,' and President Trump praised Vought and described the shutdown as a chance to 'clear out dead wood.'
- Critics and legal analysts pushed back, calling threats of permanent federal layoffs a likely 'bluff' and warning of political and legal battles over cuts, while procedural factors (including a Senate pause for Yom Kippur) could delay votes to restore funding.
📚 Contextual Background
- The Trump administration announced the cancellation of nearly $8 billion in climate-related projects in 16 states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
- Fourteen of the 16 states affected by the cancellations had Democratic governors, while New Hampshire and Vermont had Republican governors.
- Chuck Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader and a United States Senator representing New York.
- Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader and a member of the United States House of Representatives representing New York.
📰 Sources (9)
DHS takes on Pritzker's 'Smorgasbord of Lies,' releases list debunking his claims
New information:
- DHS publicly released a list it says 'debunks' Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s claims about federal operations and included direct quotations from DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
- DHS says a targeted South Shore apartment operation conducted with CBP, FBI and ATF resulted in the arrest of 37 noncitizens from countries including Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Nigeria, and that Tren de Aragua gang members were among those arrested.
- DHS explicitly asserted President Trump’s constitutional authority to deploy troops to defend federal facilities and defended ICE/CBP operations against the governor’s accusations of targeting U.S. citizens.
Pritzker says Trump officials' Chicago crackdown is "making it a war zone"
New information:
- Gov. J.B. Pritzker publicly characterized recent Trump-administration enforcement and deployment actions in Chicago as 'making it a war zone' (quote reported Oct. 5, 2025).
- The article records an on-the-record, high-level state official escalation in rhetoric toward federal officials over enforcement tactics in Chicago (named participant: Gov. J.B. Pritzker).
Trump to withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects amid shutdown battle
New information:
- The Trump administration (via OMB/White House Budget Director Russ Vought) will withhold $2.1 billion in federal funding for Chicago infrastructure projects.
- The pause specifically affects the planned extension of Chicago’s Red Line train.
- Russ Vought said on social media the funds were 'put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race‑based contracting.'
- This action is presented alongside an earlier, separate withholding announcement affecting New York infrastructure funding.
As the shutdown drags on, the threat of permanent cuts is mired in politics
New information:
- Direct reporting that Russell Vought 'announced' the cancellation/withholding of $8 billion in energy projects and said he would cancel $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding (strong attribution to OMB/administration)
- President Trump’s Truth Social message framing the pause as an opportunity to "clear out dead wood" and calling Democrats the 'Radical Left', quoted verbatim
- House Speaker Mike Johnson's on‑the‑record statement endorsing Vought's role and characterizing the decision as following a presidential directive
- Legal/analytical quote from Bridget Dooling (Ohio State law professor and former OMB official) calling the administration's layoffs threat a 'bluff' and distinguishing temporary lapses from permanent RIF authority
- Contextual background on Russell Vought's prior advocacy (Project 2025) linking his earlier policy prescriptions to current OMB actions
Who is Russ Vought? What to know about Trump's OMB director ahead of shutdown layoffs
New information:
- CBS ties those funding freezes explicitly to decisions being implemented and communicated by OMB Director Russ Vought as part of the administration's shutdown posture.
- Adds context that Vought has sought rescissions previously and frames the freezes as consistent with his Project 2025 agenda to limit agency autonomy.
Government shutdown live updates as impasse enters second day
New information:
- CBS live update confirms the White House move to pause $18 billion in New York infrastructure funding and $8 billion in climate-related projects.
- Reports that Senate won't vote again until Friday (observance of Yom Kippur) which affects the near-term path to restoring funding.
- Direct quote from President Trump on Truth Social framing the shutdown as a chance to 'clear out dead wood.'
Trump uses government shutdown to dole out firings and political punishment
New information:
- Direct attribution that OMB placed roughly $18 billion on hold for New York subway and Hudson Tunnel projects during the shutdown (confirmed in this AP piece)
- Contextual quote from President Trump praising OMB Director Russ Vought's ability to 'trim the budget' and framing the shutdown as an opportunity to reshape spending priorities
Trump freezes $18 billion in funding for NYC, home to key Democratic leaders
New information:
- USDOT explicitly tied its review of New York funding to the federal shutdown in its statement, per NPR reporting.
- NPR reports an immediate operational effect: a $300 million disbursement for the Second Avenue subway project will be affected immediately.
- Direct attributions and quotes included from Russell Vought (OMB post on X), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (post on X), and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's press‑conference remarks.